Today is going home day to the rest of our lovely family and 2 Welsh Springer Spaniels who have been looked after most lovingly by my brother and wife. 

We leave Becky and Rob to 8 weeks of packing and selling and returning home to .England to start a new life together there. 

Its been a fantastic 3.4 days lots of fun times together and my tour of the South Island has given them a chance to see the island before they head back to England. 

I shall all take away with me the memories of Otago Peninsula wildlife of sea lions, seals, penguin and birds, the discovery of a Glacier and icebergs at Hooker Valley Walk which was just horrendous weather. The trip,to Akaroa where we saw Penguins feeding in the Inlet in the sea and a nursery pod of Hector Dolphins with 5 babies. 

Then the discovery of Tasman Glacier, just wonderful. 

The spectacular scenery of Mount Cook Park and Lake Pukaki and the numerous Glacier rivers we have crossed over our hundreds of miles traveled the colour of that water is just unbelievable. 

On TA the locals warn of the roads, well if you Re from England, the roads here are so straight it is untrue! Driving is absolutely fine. Majority of our time was on empty roads with hardly any traffic at all considering I was warned we were going the worst time, in January, peak season. 

Must visits it's for me are East coast at the Stacks, mount Cook Hooker and Tasman walks. Ride the length of lake Pukaki with snow capped mountains. Otago Pensinsular for at least 3 nights. 
Gon on tours but discover the wildlife yourself too.